


More Than Cordial

by queenrinacat



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, i cant even with these two, i ship this so hard tbh, my cuties being cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-15
Packaged: 2018-01-15 07:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1297021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenrinacat/pseuds/queenrinacat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina huffily tries to conceal that she doesn't actually hate Emma and brings her food.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I hate you, I promise.

**Author's Note:**

> I may extend this into a longer fic, I'm not sure. I just really ship Regina/Emma ridiculously hard for a multitude of reasons and yeah. Just a drabble at the moment, but who knows? Maybe I'll be motivated to turn this into something longer.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina brings Emma food because of reasons.

"Look, Regina, I'm sorry, okay? I got barely any sleep last night because of some damn Lost Boys raising hell and I overslept and didn't get breakfast and because everybody needs something from me I forgot to pack lunch so I'm sleep deprived and won't eat till this evening so give me a damn break once in a while if it wouldn't kill you to be nice for once!"  
"This paperwork--"  
"Can wait a day! For fucks sake Regina, you're just gonna have to forgive me for not having the patience or time right now to deal with more bureaucratic bullshit!"  
"It was a tentative custodial arrangement!"  
Emma's mouth opened and closed.  
"For...for--"  
"Yes."  
Emma's shoulders slumped, and she raked a hand through already tangled hair.  
"Oh, I thought..."  
"Look, Miss Swan, if you're so averse to the idea--"  
"Emma."  
"What?"  
"My name, it--"  
Emma sighed.  
"Whatever, I...It doesn't matter."  
Regina decided to let it slide, and began to leave. Pausing by the door, she turned back, allowing a small smile to tug the corner of her mouth upwards.  
"It would, you know."  
"What?"  
"Being nice. It would kill me."  
Emma snorted, and shook her head.  
Feeling absurdly pleased with herself, Regina smiled all the way to her car.  
  
xxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx  
  
Heels clicking on the smooth floor, Regina entered the Sheriff's office without preamble and dumped a cup of coffee and a paper bag on Emma's desk. Looking at Emma, she arched a brow at the other woman's current position, hat pulled over her eyes, feet on her desk (paperwork shuffled somewhere to the side, naturally) and red leather jacket slung over the back of her seat.  
"Ahem."  
Emma started, feet sliding off the desk, pushing papers to the floor, and ended up slipping off her seat, scrabbling for a finger hold, only to crash unceremoniously on the floor.  
"Afternoon Miss Swan. Glad to see our tax dollars are going to good use."  
"Wha--"  
Emma shook her head, eyes squinting at Regina blearily as she sprawled on the floor. The confusion was endearing. She meant annoying. Not cute. No. Anyways. Regina indicated the bag and cup still on the desk, the food having miraculously survived the merciless attack by Emma's feet.  
"Here."  
Rising from the floor, Emma first opened the coffee, inhaling the fragrant steam in relief. Rifling through the paper bag, she produced a bear claw. Biting into the mess of sugar and oil, she let out a practically orgasmic moan around the pastry, her eyelids fluttering closed. Regina coughed lightly and shifted where she stood, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear for something to do with her hands.  
Seeming to recall Regina was there, Emma blinked, and looked up at Regina in wonderment.  
"You...brought me food?"  
"Yes." Regina answered shortly.  
"Why?"  
Regina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.  
"Because, Ms. Swan, you mentioned earlier that you had no lunch, and as I am quite aware that being even an incompetent Sheriff such as yourself requires sustenance, I brought you this so I shall be spared having to explain to our son why you out of a basic inability to fend for yourself fainted on the job!"  
Emma, having looked slightly taken aback by the wordy explanation, and appearing slightly more awake thanks to the combined effect of caffeine and sugar, grinned.  
"You said our son."  
"I--what?"  
"You called Henry ours. Not yours. Ours."  
"I most certainly did not."  
"You did, I heard you, and guess what else?"  
A lazy smirk began to spread itself over Emma's face.  
"I think you were worried about me."  
"I beg your pardon! I was not! I was simply thinking of Henry and--" Regina spluttered.  
"Yepppp you tell yourself that. I think you care, you just can't admit it. In fact," at this, Emma lifted her feet off the desk and rose, invading Regina's space a little more than she was comfortable with. Emma continued, locking eye contact with Regina.  
"I think you don't hate me at all. Face it. You actually like me."  
As she did her best to avoid Emma's smug gaze, Regina felt a hot flush creep up her neck. Which was totally ridiculous because, because--  
Unable to finish her own sentence, even in her head, Regina simply pursed her lips and exited hurriedly, flustered for reasons she couldn't articulate.  
Emma simply smiled, and took a bite of the bear claw.


	2. Live a little, Your Majesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma takes Regina on a picnic as a kind of apology for totaling her car. (you find out how that happened later)

Somehow, over the course of the next few weeks, they fall into a routine. Sometimes Regina picks up lunch, sometimes Emma does, but always Regina stops by Emma’s office with some excuse, and they eat and talk for a few minutes. If the rest of the town noticed, nobody was saying anything.

One crisp Saturday morning, when the leaves on the trees were russet and burnished copper and the sky a pearly gray, Emma sprung her trap.

“Get your coat and let’s go.”

“Hello to you too dear.”

“Yes yes hello come on hurry we’re losing daylight!”

“What on earth are you babbling about now, Miss Swan?”

“I told you, it’s Emma, and we’re going on a road trip.”

“Even considering your adeptness and considerable experience at skipping your duties, I would have thought with a son you’d be a little more considerate than—”

“Oh lay off, I just wanted to thank you for feeding me so much, so I planned a surprise!”

“Some of us actually have jobs.”

“Regina, it’s a Saturday. Nobody’s going to die or explode in your absence. They’ll be fine. Live a little.”

“They’ll live _because_ I’ll be absent.” Regina muttered.

“In any case, you never told me the occasion.”

“Well, it’s kind of an apology for totaling your car, but also because why not?”

“Hmph. Still ridiculous. Besides, I hate surprises.”

Emma’s face fell.

“You’ll love this one?”

Regina raised a brow skeptically.

“It’ll be fun, I promise! Please?”

Ridiculously unable to resist the other woman’s puppy dog face, Regina huffed.

“Fine. You’re being ridiculous and cryptic, but I suppose I can go along with this charade. How are we getting there again?”

Emma beamed, grabbing Regina’s hand with her own gloved one, and tugging her along outside to where her Bug was parked. Regina panicked, pulling her hand out of Emma’s, and wondering what the townspeople would think at the Saviour being so familiar with the Evil Queen.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“I am not getting inside…that.”

Emma looked dejected, and whined “Pleeeeeaaaase?”

Regina rolled her eyes and muttered to herself. Emma was pretty sure she heard the phrase “death trap” at least once, and there was probably a “yellow menace” in there too. Watching Regina’s continued reluctance to get in the Bug,

“I still cannot understand why my Benz was out of the question.”

“Still at Michael’s, remember?”

“Ah yes, I do recall a mysterious someone unknown succeeding in totaling it.”

“Are you ever gonna let that go?”

“Unlikely.”

Emma sighed heavily, and rolled her eyes in a near-perfect imitation of Regina.

“just…get in the car? Please?”

Regina didn’t budge. Emma turned the puppy dog eyes up to full wattage, and waited for results. Wait for it…wait…

“Oh very well, and do put that ridiculous expression away. If Henry is incapable of using that to effect, you certainly cannot.”

There it is.

Smiling triumphantly, Emma held open the passenger door. Regina arched a brow.

“And they say chivalry is dead.”

Chin tilted upwards, she stalked towards the open door and slid herself inside with the grace with which she did everything. Emma bundled herself unceremoniously inside, bouncing on the seat with a grin as she turned on the ignition.

“All in? Let’s go!”

Engine thrumming with the occasional wheeze, they were off.

 

xxxxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

 

Emma and Regina had made small talk for an hour or so now, although it felt like less, watching as the roads became more unkempt, the foliage wilder. The car trundling along on the now-dirt roads, the two women had just begun to lapse into a comfortable silence when Emma unexpectedly slammed her foot on the brakes, lurching the car forward and forcing Regina to brace herself against the dash with her palms, sending unpleasant shockwaves up her arms.

“What the hell Emma?”

The other woman’s eyes were lit up with mischief.

“I have a brilliant idea.”

“Well, this is a shock.”

“Cut the snark for a sec, would you?”

Rummaging around in the glove compartment, Emma produced a tie. Ratty and moth-eaten, but a tie nonetheless.

“Why on earth would you have a tie in the glove box?”

Emma shrugged.

“Wore it on a job once, never got around to tossing it.”

Tempted to ask exactly what the story behind that was, Regina was interrupted by Emma holding the tie out towards her with a pleading expression.

“Put it on?”

“What?”

“Around your eyes. Like a blindfold.”

“And why on earth would I do that?”

“Because we’re nearly there and I want it to be a surprise?”

“…”

“Oh come on Regina, live a little.”

“I think I’ve had quite enough of your definition of living for several lifetimes, not including the two I’ve lived already.”

“Pshhh, living in two worlds does not count as two lifetimes.”

“I’m still not putting on the blindfold.”

“Reginaaaa…”

“Oh for goodness sake.”

Regina turned around huffily in her seat, crossing her arms in irritation.

“Fine.”

Emma scooted closer, gently bringing the tie to rest atop the bridge of Regina’s nose, covering her eyes. Her fingertips held the faintest tremor, one she knew Regina would feel. Moving her hands towards the back of Regina’s head, her fingers brushed the side of her face, dragging lightly through her hair. Taking great care in the tying, when Emma was done she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Regina’s ear, unconscious of the shiver that moved through the other woman at the gesture. Regina’s lips parted, a small breath of air released in a sigh.

“All…”Emma cleared her throat, sure her voice was lower and huskier than normal.

“Alright?”

Regina took a moment to respond, and clear the unexpected cobwebs from her mind.

“Fine.”

Gesturing toward the road ahead, she asked “Shall we?”

 

xxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

 

The car came to a stop with a slight jerk, groaning and idling at top volume. Regina could hear the sound of the leather seat squeaking as Emma shifted her weight to open the car door. There was a slam, and the crunching of footsteps on gravel growing fainter and then nearer. It was a little disorienting to have her vision taken away by the tie around her eyes, (Not that she hadn’t peeked a few times, but each time she did Emma would say “No peeking!” and push the makeshift blindfold back down over her eyes, fingers lingering a little too long) but it heightened her other senses as well, and, well, maybe it was a _little_ bit fun to have the location of their mystery trip be a surprise. (Not that she’d ever admit it to Emma.) The passenger door on her side opened.

“Here, take my hand.”

Regina blindly accepted the hand placed over hers, enjoying the rough warmth of it, before allowing herself to be pulled out of the car, stepping gingerly down and onto grass. Heels sinking slightly in the dirt and crunching on smooth gravel, she lifted the blindfold to find…a path? Leading into the woods it seemed.

“Come on!”

Hand still in Emma’s, she wasn’t prepared for the sudden tug that sent her careening once again into Em— _Miss Swan_ ’s arms. Oh, never mind. As long as she didn’t call her Emma out loud.

“What the hell Emma?” _Dammit._

Emma’s smile increased in wattage.

“Careful there.”

Regina steps away hurriedly, too quickly apparently, as her heels slipping on the gravel only made her fall the other way. Arms out and prepared for an ignoble fall, she hit Emma’s arms again. Red in the face from the mortification, (justembarrassment, she told herself. That was it.)she braced herself mentally for the teasing she expected.

“Could’ve told you those heels were wrong for this.”

“Well pardon me if I was unaware we were going on a hiking trip.”

“You good?”

Regina nodded in the affirmative, and Emma set off into the trees.

The women walked for a ways, darting ahead and running back like an overexcited puppy, as Regina primly and gracefully moved through the woods. The path terminated in a break of the trees, and Emma grinned, gesturing towards the break with a flourish.

“Your castle, milady?”

“That’s Your Majesty to you. And I thank you, good knight.”

Emma giggled, honest to god _giggled_ at that, and Regina was absurdly pleased. Stepping into the clearing took her breath away. The trees arcing overhead created a leafy canopy through which sunlight glowed, dappling the ground with equal shadows and light. The ancient knobbed bark and arching roots of the gnarled oaks and straight-backed pines seemed to tell of time spent watching ages pass unconcerned, empires fall and stone grind to dust, as leaves whisper through sunshine and storms. The clearing was filled with wildflowers bobbing slightly, woven between long blades of lush grass. A slight breeze stirred Regina’s hair, sending tendrils of black silk to caress her face, and Emma’s hands itched to brush them away.

After a seeming eon just looking, Emma and Regina sit, and Emma unveils a basket Regina hadn’t noticed, full of various food and goodies.

“You can cook?”

Emma laughed.

“Oh no, not at all! I got Ruby to make this for us. Pretty sure she was ready to rip my head off with curiosity, actually.”

“I can quite imagine,” Regina murmured. She watched as Emma nervously set out grilled cheese sandwiches, a thermos of tomato soup, some salad, and apple pie, hands fluttering about the food.

“I hope you like it—I mean, I wasn’t sure what you would like, you seem to like apples so I thought maybe apple pie, and tomato soup is really good when you dip grilled cheese sandwiches into it, and there’s salad, which is healthy, and—”

Regina smiled, laying a hand over Emma’s to still her fidgeting.

“It’s lovely, dear. Thank you.”

Emma quieted, but only for a moment.

“I have a blanket, too, so you won’t get grass stains on your skirt. Wait, hang on, I must’ve left it in the car, be right back!”

Emma bounded away, Regina chuckling to herself and turning her back to Emma’s retreating form to begin setting out the food properly, placing napkins and plates and utensils out. Waiting for Emma to return with the blanket, she contemplated how it was becoming more and more difficult lately to sustain real anger at the woman at her back. At her back…Odd. Once she would never have turned her back to any. Turn your back and you’re dead. But that was another time, another place, and it was hard to think of darkness surrounded by sunshine, caressed by fickle breezes.

“Got it!”

Regina turned to see Emma roll out the blanket, shaking it dramatically.

“Let’s eat, then.”

 

xxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

 

Full of warm food, and lying on the blanket Emma had brought, they basked in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Flicking her eyes to the left, she noticed Emma staring at her, eyes dark and half-lidded, lips parted. Regina stared curiously back, absorbed in the intent expression on the other woman’s face, as the quiet seemed to fold in on itself. Her cheeks warmed as she realized the silence had stretched on far too long, and the intense eye contact far too intimate. Blinking deliberately and looking away to break the spell, she cleared her throat, stating

“Well I do appreciate the effort Miss Swan, but Henry is due back from the dentist’s quite soon, and I’m sure you have more valuable things to do with your time.”

Emma shrugged.

“Not really, but actually, that was the second part of my surprise.”

“What?”

Emma grinned.

“Henry’s staying with Mary-Margaret! I mean, just for a few hours, yeah, but this way we get more time!”

“You. Did. _What._ ”

In the Enchanted Forest, peasants who had inspired even a tiny fraction of the rage Emma saw in Regina’s eyes were quickly only so much ash. Shocked at the unexpectedly visceral reaction, Emma visibly flinched.

“You just handed him over to my oldest nemesis? _Without consulting me?!_ ”

Emma blinked.

“Jeez, I’m sorry, I didn’t think of it that way, I just—”

“Is everything a ploy to get Henry away from me?”

“What? No!”

“Need I recount—”

“No, it—for fuck’s sake Regina.”

Emma sighed, running her hands through her hair again. Regina noted that her hair was going to get considerably more unruly if she kept it up, and wondered why she cared.

“I just…can’t we talk about anything without it turning into a fight?”

Regina remained stoic. Emma began ripping up grass dejectedly, shoulders hunched forward.

“Look, I’m sorry. You’re right, I should’ve checked with you instead of assuming you’d be okay with it.”

“No, I…” Feeling uncomfortably guilty, Regina swallowed. “It is I who should apologize. Yes, you should have checked with me, but it did not warrant my snapping at you.”

Emma considered pointing out that Regina’s reaction was a bit more than snapping, but decided not to push her luck, instead deciding to lie down on the grass, green blades tickling her cheeks. If Regina decides to lie down as well, and if her fingertips just so happen to brush Emma’s, Emma doesn’t comment on it.

 

xxxxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

 

Somewhere amidst the blurry river that time had seemed to melt into inside the clearing, Regina’s eyes land once again on Emma’s face. Tracing the curve of her brow, across the bridge of her nose and lingering on her lips, she notices she can only just make out the outline of Emma’s face in the dimness, light from the sunset seeming to linger on her skin and give it a russet glow. The sunset had been spectacular, but curiously she had been more preoccupied with the electric buzzing of her skin where Emma accidentally touched her, and the proximity of the other woman as they moved closer for warmth as the sky darkened.

Lost in her reverie, she was startled when Emma got up abruptly, brushing her hands off on her jeans and proffering Regina her hand with a crooked grin. Regina stares at it a moment, still lost in thought, before blinking and accepting it with a shy smile, allowing Emma to yank her up to standing. Unfortunately (fortunately?) Emma pulled a little too hard, and Regina falls against the other woman, expecting to fall, only to be caught in surprisingly strong arms, surprisingly unwilling to move. She’s warm, she rationalizes, and it’s cold out now, and really she’s rather inappropriately dressed for the weather, but they’d gone so quickly, and how is it possible to ramble in the privacy of your own thoughts? Really, this was ridiculous, but—oh, Emma’s speaking.

“You seem to be making a habit of this.”

“Quite.”

“It’s getting dark.”

“Yes.”

“We ought to get home.”

“I suppose so.”

Regina belatedly realizes she’s still cradled against Emma, her hands now enveloped by calloused skin on worn palms, having unconsciously allowed herself to melt against the blonde. Emma brushes a thumb across Regina’s knuckles, and she can hear the slight hitch in her breathing, and prays Emma didn’t. Regina suddenly notices how very close Emma is, and how powerful the tides of emotion sweeping over her, accelerating her heart-rate and constricting her throat. This is bad. This is very bad, and very dangerous, and is most definitely _not happening._

Regina clears her throat, thinking ruefully how many times she’s seemed to have to do that this particular (lovely, wonderful) afternoon. She begins to walk out of the meadow, not checking to see if Emma follows. Feet scuffling, Emma catches up, and they walk in silence to the car.

When they reach it, Emma holds the passenger door open automatically. Prepared to give a speech about how she is no damsel in distress, she sees the deflation of Emma’s shoulders in response to the tightening of her own and the straightening of her spine. Biting her tongue, she simply smiles, and gets in, and Emma grins back, her face lit up with the force of her smile. Regina falters, taken aback by the unexpected upsurge of joy at the sight of the beaming smile on Emma’s face.

_Oh no. This is very, very bad._

 


End file.
